G. Gomiashvili: Good evening, thank you for coming. The reason of this special briefing is the information, spread today by “ITAR-TASS” Agency, as if the Minister of Internal Affairs of France, Mr. Dominic de Vilpen, at the Lyon conference, mentioned the Pankisi valley, as the place of presence of Al-Qaeda international terrorists, where the biological weapon was manufactured. We urgently held the consultations with the capital of France, I have also invited Mr. Philippe Lefort, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Georgia, who is standing beside me. He explained that such declaration was not made at that conference at all and it was absolutely taken out of the contents and context. Regretfully, today we have the situation, which is usual for the Russian news agencies. According to the Ambassador, the talk was about the information, issued 3-4 years ago, when in 2001-2002 the Pankisi valley was mentioned as the territory beyond the control of Tbilisi and as the place of refuge for international terrorists. I will not detain you any more, neither Mr. Ambassador. If you have any questions, please, ask the Ambassador of France.Ambassador of France to Georgia, Mr. Philippe Lefort: At the conference, the Minister talked about the events developed in Pankisi several years ago. I want to assure you that nothing new was said. On my part I would like to add that international cooperation in the fight against terrorism is the best weapon in defeat of terrorism. The cooperation should be carried out at the level of the Ministries of Justice and Internal Affairs and Police. The information, which you have, is the text of the speech taken from the web-site of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I would like to tell you that we are in very good cooperation with the law-enforcement bodies of Georgia and this cooperation is a factor for security of France and as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Georgia, I am fully confident of capacity of the Georgian Government to face this type of threat.

Question: Why was it necessary for the Minister to cite the example of Georgia in this context?

Philippe Lefort: I ask you to read this five-page speech from the beginning to the end, there is no special mention either of Georgia or of the Pankisi valley. The talk was about the terrorism in the whole region and about threats arisen from the bioterrorism today.

Question: Have you sent any note to Russia?

G. Gomiashvili: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia will not talk with the ITAR-TASS through the notes, it will be a great honor for them. Regretfully, the similar case took place earlier. You remember the information spread by the RIA-Novosti approximately three or four months ago. As for our reaction, it is sure to follow.http://www.mfa.gov.ge/news.php?newsid=updates/EEpAZZVlZEQgrNKIkE.php